Lexington Rotary Club

What Is Rotary?

Please visit the Rotary International web site

Rotary is essentially a grassroots organiztion, with most of its service efforts being carried out at the club level. The district and international structure is designed to support the clubs and help them provide more segrvice in their local communities and abroad.

1. Clubs Rotarians are members of Rotary clubs, which belong to the global association Rotary International (RI). Each club elects its own officers and enjoys considerable autonomy within the framework of Rotary's constitution and bylaws.
2. Districts Clubs are grouped into 534 RI districts, each led by a district governor, who is an officer of RI. The district administration, including assistant governors and various committees, guides and supports the clubs.
3. RI Board The 19-member RI Board of Directors, which includes the RI president and president-elect, meets quarterly to establish policies. Traditionally, the RI president, who is elected annually, develops a theme and emphase for the year.
4. The Secretariat Rotary International is headquartered in the Chicago suburb of Evanston, Illinois, USA, with seven international offices in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, India, Japan, Korea, and Switzerland. The RI in Great Britain and Ireland (RBI), located in England, serves clubs and districts in that region. The Secretariat's chief operating officer is the RI general secretary, who heads a 650-member staff working to serve Rotarians worldwide.

The Object of Rotary The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:

1. First: The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;
2. Second: High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying of each Rotarian's occupation as an oppurtunity to serve society;
3. Third: The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal, business and community life;
4. Fourth: The advancement of international understanding, good will, and peace through a world of fellowship of business and professional people united in the ideal of service.

The Five Avenues of Service implement the Object of Rotary and are Rotary's philosophical cornerstone and the foundation on which club activity is based.

1. Club Service: Those things that Rotarians do to help make successful the runnung of their Rotary Club;
2. Vocational Service: The promoting of the "ideal of service" throughout the b usiness and professional world;
3. Community Service: Urges Rotarians to participate in all activities which make their community a batter place in which to live;
4. International Service: Encourage and foster the advancement of understanding and good will among peoples of the world.
5. New Generations Service: Recognizes the positive change implemented by youth and young adults through leadership development activities such as RYLA, Rotaract and Interact club service projects, and creating international understanding with Rotary Youth Exchange.

The Four-Way Test
of the things we think, say, or do

1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3. Will it build GOOD WILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

The Privileges in Rotary

• The privilege of FRIENDSHIP WITH LEADERS:
• in your community
• in neighboring cities and towns
• all over the U.S.A.
• around the world
• The privilege of GIVING SERVICE to your community.
• The privilege of DEVELOPING INTERNATIONAL GOODWILL and understanding.
• The privilege of helping BUILD HIGHER ETHICAL STANDARDS within your vocation
through the common bond of Rotary.